General support organisations

Cancer Research UK is the largest cancer research organisation in the world outside the USA. We are the European leader in the development of new anti cancer drugs. We fund research on all aspects of the disease from its causes, to treatment and prevention, education and psychological support for patients.

We are also committed to producing high quality information for people affected by cancer, health professionals and the general public. We do this through the About Cancer pages on our website.

If you have a question about cancer, you can contact our team of specialist cancer information nurses. Call free on 0808 800 4040, 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. To talk in your preferred language, ask for our interpreting service. Or you can send us a question online.

This centre provides complementary care, using the Bristol Approach, to people with cancer, and their loved ones. It is staffed by doctors, nurses and therapists working in complementary medicine. The staff provide information about complementary treatments, alternative diets, holistic medicine, counselling and relaxation.

The British Complementary Medicine Association represents over 20,000 complementary therapists. Their therapies include acupuncture, yoga and homeopathy. All members are fully trained and subject to the BCMA’s code of conduct, and complaints and disciplinary procedures.

Their website has a searchable database of therapists and therapy associations. It's a good place to start if you are looking for a complementary therapist in your area.

The BHMA was founded by doctors and students with an interest in holistic health care. They believe that healthcare should also include a person's spiritual and emotional wellbeing. The BHMA doesn't list or recommend individual therapies or therapists.

CNHC is the UK regulator for complementary healthcare practitioners. It protects the public by giving them access to a list of practitioners who have met national standards of competence and practice. Registered practitioners can use the CNHC quality mark on certificates and publicity materials. Most NHS services only use CNHC registered practitioners.

An independent, UK health regulator that keeps a register of qualified therapists. It sets standards of training, performance and conduct for health professionals, including music therapists, art therapists and drama therapists.

This charity provides information about specific complementary therapies. Enclose a self addressed enveloped and two loose first class stamps when you write to them. Clearly state which information you are looking for or the type of complementary therapist you are trying to find.

The RCCM collects and reviews research into the effectiveness of complementary therapies and alternative medicines. The Complementary and Alternative Medicine Evidence Online (CAMEOL) database reviews specific therapies for various conditions, including cancer. You can find the evidence on their website.

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This website aims to provide reliable information on complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) relating to cancer. The target audience is health professionals, but the information is understandable to anyone. It can help patients and professionals to make decisions about whether to use these medicines.

Breast Cancer Haven is a national charity that supports women during or after their breast cancer treatment. Breast Cancer Haven provides a free tailored package of emotional, physical and practical support. They offer advice on practical things like:

money and work

how to combat stress, exhaustion and nausea

healthy eating and exercise

They offer people diagnosed with breast cancer the chance to talk about their concerns and worries regarding treatment and its impact.

The Fountain Centre is a charity for cancer patients, their families and carers. It offers advice, counselling and complementary therapies to cancer patients from Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire. It is at the St Luke’s cancer unit at the Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford.

The FHT is the leading professional association for complementary therapists. They have a register of therapists who are qualified, insured, and who follow the FHT strict Code of Conduct and Professional Practice.

The CNHC is the UK regulator for all complementary healthcare practitioners, including aromatherapists. It protects the public by providing access to a list of practitioners who meet national standards of competence and practice. Registered practitioners are able to use the CNHC quality mark on certificates and publicity materials.

Art therapy organisations

The British Association of Art Therapists (BAAT) is the professional organisation for art therapists in the UK. It has its own Code of Ethics of Professional Practice, 20 regional groups, a European section and an international section. It keeps a comprehensive directory of qualified art therapists in the UK.

Ayurvedic medicine organisations

The Association regulates and maintains a list of Ayurvedic practitioners and therapists. All therapists have professional indemnity insurance and abide by the APA Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.

The website has helpful information and explains the difference between practitioners and therapists.

PubMed is the database of the National Institute for Health in America. It has abstracts from medical journals and scientific papers. You can search the database for articles about complementary and alternative therapies.

International organisations and sites

International Society for Complementary Medicine Research (ISCMR)

The ISCMR is an international professional, multidisciplinary, non profit scientific organisation. It is a place where complementary practitioners can share knowledge and collaborate with each other and carry out research.

This US site has information about complementary therapies in cancer care. It offers information to patients and health professionals to help them decide how to best combine conventional cancer treatments with complementary therapies.

The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre is a leading cancer hospital and research centre in New York. Its Integrative Medicine service was founded in 1999. It carries out research into the effectiveness of complementary therapies for cancer.

The website has a searchable database of herbs, vitamins and plants. It lists side effects, drug interactions, clinical information and clinical trials.

Books about complementary therapy

There are various books about complementary and alternative therapies. Many of these are specific to cancer. But they aren’t all reliable. Be wary of books that claim an alternative therapy can cure cancer.

This book is for hospital doctors, GPs, nurses, medical students and other healthcare professionals. It gives evidence based information about complementary and alternative medicine to help them advise people with cancer.

It discusses many issues in an accessible way. So it will also interest people who are considering complementary or alternative therapy.

This book helps people with cancer to make informed decisions about using complementary therapies to manage physical and emotional symptoms and promote general wellbeing. It explains the risks of using unproven therapies instead of conventional treatments.

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